Monday, February 21, 2011

Much of the "mainstream" national news coverage of the Wisconsin rallies has been "faux news"

One demonstrator carried this punning reference to a certain "fair and balanced" news outlet that shall remain nameless. In a broader sense, most of the "mainstream" national media were also offering up faux news.

To be on the ground in Madison during the rallies, and especially on Saturday, and then take a look at the national coverage was like looking in a funhouse mirror -- and the result was not fun at all. I was really offended Saturday when NBC headlined their report "State of Chaos." This was in reference to the largest and most peaceful demonstration I have ever seen in Madison. The news peg wasn't "chaos." It was that a crowd rivaling Badger football crowds in size gathered peacefully on the Capitol Square and there were no arrests. Similarly, there was a lot of unsubstantiated talk about nonexistent "violence" and "union thugs." And even the Huffington post picked up an AP wire service story that was filled with faux facts -- that the Capitol was filthy from the debris left by all the people, and that the building "reeked" from all the people who had occupied it for a week.

Yes, Virginia -- they really do make stuff up.

PS: Compared to the national media, most of the local newspapers and electronic media have been doing a much better job of trying to get their facts right. But, then, they live here.